Nationals: Top Six Best of the Worst

After yesterday's incredibly negative rant about the Nationals we despise most, I'm taking up commenter Will's challenge to rank the top five Nationals I'm enjoying most despite this lost season.

Since I'm in such a positive spirit, I'll even give you six (Sadly, Jason Bergmann didn't quite make the cut).

6. Jesus Flores

The sample size is still a bit small, but with 103 plate appearances in the book, Flores has dramatically improved his approach at the plate. Boy, did he need it. After a solid start to the season last year, he went into a prolonged skid, hitting .232, .262, and .354 after June first.

It seemed like his development might never recover from the full year he spent in the majors in 2006, after he was taken by the Nationals in the Rule-Five draft. He was then being pressed into service again in 2007 when Paul Lo Duca and Johnny Estrada both failed.

This year, his walk rate has more than doubled from 4.7 percent to 10.9 percent. His BABIP is an unsustainable .400, but with a .311, .382, and .522 line, he can have a lot of regression and still be a solid offensive catcher.

For a guy who looked totally over-matched a year ago, that's great news for Nationals fans.

5. Adam Dunn

I'm sure Big Donkey would rate higher on many people's lists, but I just personally care too much about fielding to feel all that much love for the big galoot. Still, he's got himself 16 dingers, 39 walks, and an OBP just below .400. Beats the heck out of Wily Mo Painful.

4. Jordan Zimmermann

Forget the ERA over six. He's got the league's worst defense behind him, leading to a very high .362 BABIP and low 65.4 percent strand rate. He's whiffing 9.20 per nine and walking just 2.74.

He's still getting too much of the plate with has fastball and curve and probably could stand to occasionally throw fewer strikes—making guys chase a little. Regardless, his fielding independent ERA of 4.21 tells the real story. Flash Jordan is doing just fine in his first tour through the bigs.

3. Ross Detwiler

Detwiler ranks above Zimmermann only because he's been a bigger surprise. A year ago at this time, he was walking over five batters per nine in Single-A ball. Now, he's got 15 innings under his belt with a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.40, and a fielding independent ERA of 3.63.

With his big mid-90s fastball and slow bender, the lefty is showing why he was such a high pick in the first place. He's got plenty to work on at the Triple-A level, but given where we were with this guy just a couple months ago, who could complain?

The only problem I've had is that I can't decide whether we call him Rottwiler, Rosswiler or Ross Rottweiler.

2. Nick Johnson

Nothing is more frustrating to me as a Nationals fan than listening to the legions of fans dumping on our best player because of his bad luck with injuries, as if it's somehow his fault.

His power still hasn't quite fully shown up yet and his defense hasn't been what we've come to expect. Still, he's fifth in MLB with a .436 OBP. We're so much better with him in the lineup. It's too bad the team decided that he has no future here.

Until we trade him for some fungible middle reliever, I'm going to cherish every last take.

1. Ryan Zimmerman

Who'd you expect, Wil Nieves? Zimmerman's officially taken the leap, and what a leap it is. He's raking to the tune of .319, .386, and .546, and he turns in a fielding gem almost every game. And, miracle of miracles, we resigned him long term.

(Wait, I didn't dream that, did I?)